Press Release

Kroger Hosts Third Natural Foods Innovation Summit

More than 50 emerging brands to participate

Company Release - 7/12/2018 12:01 PM ET

CINCINNATI, July 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today is hosting its third Natural Foods Innovation Summit in partnership with 84.51°, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Justin Gold, an accomplished, innovative entrepreneur and founder of Justin's®, a natural and organic nut butters brand, will speak at the Summit.

"Kroger's natural and organic category achieved $16.7 billion in sales last year, including $2 billion in Simple Truth® sales," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior vice president of merchandising. "It's clear today's customer wants better-for-you options and are increasingly turning to Kroger as a food authority for natural, organic, and free-from products."

More than 50 brands will participate in today's expo, bringing the total to 150 different small businesses Kroger has engaged combined across the three Summit events.

"Establishing and deepening partnerships with brands that are innovative, unique, and trending, is just one way we are redefining the customer experience through Restock Kroger," added Mr. Clark. "Resulting from the success of this small business engagement model, we have introduced our customers to new products exclusively from participating brands."

Natural, organic, and local brands can visit Kroger.Com/WeAreLocal to learn how to join Kroger's family of suppliers.

Kroger will celebrate the one-year launch of its Natural Foods Innovation Summit this fall at the fourth event.

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.